Seven Simple Ways to Stay Healthy During Summer Vacation

Seven simple and easy tips for staying healthy during summer vacation, written in partnership with Lorissa’s Kitchen.

School is officially out for summer and I couldn’t be more excited! There are so many reasons to love summer vacation – pool days, blueberry picking, trips to the beach, you name it. A personal favorite? Longer days and no more early morning alarm clocks. Woohoo!

Of course, as any busy mom or dad knows, summer vacation also comes with its share of hurdles to overcome. Namely, for the first time in the last 9 months, we now have to completely adjust and revise our daily routine to account for the fact that small little humans need to be fed, cleaned and entertained every day, seven days a week.

Shout out to all the teachers out there!! I don’t know how you stay so zen in a classroom full of rowdy 5 year olds but you do it with a smile and for that I applaud you!

Whether you’re in the middle of a weight loss or fitness journey, or wish to get started, a shift like summer vacation can throw a huge wrench in your mojo. To help you stay focused and on track towards reaching your goals, I am sharing a seven simple life hacks for staying healthy all summer long.

My first recommendation is to stock your pantry with healthy, portable, shelf-stable snacks that can go everywhere you go this summer. Whether it’s a trip to the lake house, an outdoor picnic or a long road trip, high-protein snacks like a bag of Lorissa’s Kitchen take zero prep time and are ready when you are.

Afterall, too much fun is waiting to be had to spend every weekend rolling homemade energy balls or making granola bars from scratch. To be clear, I am a HUGE fan of homemade, healthy snacks. But I’m also a busy mom of a 3 and 5 year old and would be lying if I said I had the time or desire to spend 52 weekends out of the year meal prepping for 8 hours.

To be honest, I would rather be spending that time outside with my family or hosting a backyard BBQ for my girlfriends.

Of course, you can’t talk about staying healthy without mentioning fitness. One of the greatest aspects of summer is the fact that you can no take your workout outdoors. Whether it’s meeting a friend at the neighborhood pool, going for a quick run around the neighborhood or going on a family walk after dinner, summer is full of ways to stay active that simply weren’t always an option during the winter months.

My third piece of advice is to make time for yourself a priority. Carve it out, add it to your calendar and make it happen. Whether it requires you to drop the kids off with the grand parents or hire a local college student to babysit for a couple hours, you will never regret taking time to recharge your batteries.

Tip number four is to head to your local farmers market and take advantage of summer produce. Even better? Find a local orchard and pick it yourself!

We’re heading back to fitness for tip number five: add body weight strength training to your routine. Simple moves such as lunges, squats, planks and pushups all have one great thing in common: they require zero equipment and no pricy gym membership!

Not a fan of lunges? Don’t worry, I don’t love them either. Try yoga instead! Not only is it great for your bones but it builds muscle without damaging your ligaments. Pro Tip: Stash a bag of Lorissa’s Kitchen in your purse, beach bag or gym bag for a post-workout snack that didn’t require a full day of meal prepping.

My last and final tip to ensuring a healthy summer? Relax and ENJOY! Grab your kids, call up your girlfriends, or book a babysitter for some solo time. Whatever you do, just go outside and have fun. Cheat meals will be had, workouts will be skipped and too many vacation drinks will be consumed. It’s all part of the plan so give yourself some grace this summer and focus on all of the incredible memories you’re creating instead.

Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Lorissa’s Kitchen. Photography by Alejandro Photography. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Lemon Bowl possible!

About Liz Della Croce

Liz is the founder and creator of The Lemon Bowl. With an emphasis on healthy eating and living, Liz’s recipes and food photography have been featured in various publications including the cover of Women’s World magazine, Good Housekeeping, Shape, Real Simple, Cosmopolitan, Food Network Blog, Huffington Post, TODAY Food, Foodgawker and The Cooking Channel. Read More…